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Saturday, December 17, 2016

Morning Reflection

John Glenn, who died December 8, 2016 at age 95, always had the right stuff.

john and annie glennHe was voted the Most Popular Boy in his hometown of New Concord, Ohio; was awarded six Distinguished Flying Crosses as a fighter pilot in two wars; was the first American astronaut to orbit the earth; was elected three times by the people of Ohio to the U.S. Senate; and – after a 1998 flight on the Space Shuttle Discovery – became the oldest man ever to go into space.


 
John Glenn’s personal hero, however, was the woman to whom he was married for 73 years.

Annie Castor was Glenn’s childhood playmate and high school sweetheart.  He adored her wit, her brilliance, and her courage.

But for most of her life Annie has been known primarily for something else:  her struggle with a severe speech impediment.

Growing up, Annie was designated an 85%er, which meant that 85% of the time she would be functionally unable to speak aloud the words in a simple phrase.

She felt isolated from outsiders.  She shrank from the simplest conversations.  She would wander alone from aisle to aisle in stores looking for items on her shopping list because she was too afraid to risk asking for help.

John Glenn always protected, defended, and loved her fiercely.  She dreaded being separated from him.

And Glenn was often gone.  He flew 52 combat missions in World War II, followed by 90 sorties during the Korean War.  Then there were dozens of high-risk flights as a test pilot in experimental aircraft, and that day in 1962 when he climbed alone into a Mercury capsule and orbited the earth three times.

Each time he parted company with her he refused to say goodbye. That would be too painful.  Instead he would say, “I’m just going down to the corner to get a pack of gum.”  And each time Annie would struggle to say the same three words:  “Don’t be long.”

Glenn left her a special gift just before he climbed aboard Discovery at the age of 77.  It was a pack of gum.


Late in life Annie entered an experimental program through which she achieved an almost complete victory over her stuttering.  She became an accomplished public speaker.  Her husband was her biggest fan.


On the 8th of December, John and Annie Glenn parted company one last time in this world.  But they lived in the hope that there is a next world – a place where they will never again need to say goodbye.

 


The word “goodbye” is actually a conflation of four small English words:  “God be with you.” 
Over the years, “God-be-with-you” became scrunched together into the word we use most often when going separate ways.

Scripture promises that the day is coming when we will no longer need to say, “God be with you,” because God will in fact be overwhelmingly present with all of us – with all of God’s people across all generations.

Heaven, in other words, is the place where there will be no longer be a need for goodbyes.

And where all of us will be able to speak, and shout, and sing without hesitation.

And where it’s just possible that gum will never lose its flavor.

22 comments:

  1. Wow. That is a beautiful tribute, and so incredibly well-written. Somehow I managed to live on this earth for 50+ years having zero knowledge of John Glenn's wife. Thank you for educating me. What an unexpected pleasure.

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    1. I can't take credit for all the writing, Anon as I received the majority of this in an email. I added a bit to it along with cleaning up spelling and punctuation.

      I've knew some of this about Annie Glenn but not all...she is truly someone to be admired.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  2. Wow, what an amazing and beautiful tribute to an amazing couple. I too knew little about Annie. Thank you so much for sharing this Cat. I really enjoyed reading this.

    Hugs
    Roz

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    1. Happy you enjoyed this, Roz...as I told Anon, most of the writing is not mine but I had to share as their love story and devotion are truly ones for the books.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  3. What a lovely way to start my Sunday morning.....Thank you. hugs abby

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    1. You're very welcome, Abby...inspirational couple weren't they. :)

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  4. What a lovely tribute, thank you.

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    1. You're very welcome, DF but I can't take all the credit for writing it. Happy you enjoyed it.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  5. This is just beautiful. I always love that you can bring us such funny things and then turn around and write something so moving. Thank you for this post. I was a great admirer of that man.

    Hugs From Ella

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    1. I wish I could take credit for writing the entire tribute but I can't, Ella...I received most of it in an email. I just added a bit along with cleaning up spelling and punctuation. John Glenn was definitely a man to admire, for many reasons...his devotion to Annie being on the top of the list for me!

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  6. Cat,
    This sweet story had me on the verge of tears. Having one daughter who we were told at 2 may never learn to speak and now at 13 has made significant process, but still sounds very different makes me feel Annie's pain quite literally. I love hearing stories like this, gives me hope. I am so blessed to have read this inspirational post today. Thanks, my friend, this one hit home in a good way!
    --Baker

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    1. Sorry about your daughter's challenges, Baker...happy this post gave you hope. Annie Glenn is a true inspiration. Sending prayers and healing energy for your daughter.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  7. Lovely reflection Cat. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. You're very welcome, Sunny...happy you enjoyed it.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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    1. Thank you, Daisy...so happy you enjoyed it. :)

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  9. Thank you for sharing this Cat. I am a long time admirer of John Glenn but knew little of his wife. An inspiring story for sure.
    Rosie xx

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    1. You're welcome, Rosie. They were both inspirational in so many ways, her challenges, his careers and their devotion to one another. They allude to Annie's speech problems in the movie "The Right Stuff". From what I understand, the other astronaut wives thought she was stuck up when they first all met but after they got to know her, they were very protective of her. But I haven't been able to verify that yet.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  10. Cat,
    As a kid, I loved John Glenn and has great respect for how he treated his lovely wife. Yes, his space accomplishments were amazing, but married to Annie for 73 years was more amazing. A senator, a decent man, but first a loving husband.
    Thank you,
    Meredith

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    1. You're welcome, Mere..I so admire both of them for their devotion to one another and everything they overcame.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  11. What a beautiful story. I knew none of this and I am so glad you shared, even if I am teary eyed.

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    1. Happy you enjoyed it, Blondie...made me teary eyed also. ;)

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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